Stefon Diggs won’t have to face his sexual misconduct accuser in a different courtroom after a judge rejected concerns that his NFL connections could give him an unfair advantage at trial.
Christopher Griffith, who has accused the football star of drugging him and arranging a violent attack against him, had sought to move their civil case out of Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Griffith believed Diggs’ association with the Washington Commanders could influence jurors living near the team’s home stadium. A federal judge disagreed, concluding that residents shouldn’t automatically be considered biased simply because they live in Commanders territory.
Instead, attorneys will have an opportunity to question prospective jurors about their loyalties and potential conflicts before the trial begins.
Diggs filed a defamation lawsuit against Griffith, accusing him of spreading false allegations about their encounter. Griffith then countersued, alleging that Diggs drugged him and masturbated in his presence without consent.
He also claims that the athlete enlisted others to physically attack him to discourage him from discussing the alleged incident.
Diggs has denied wrongdoing.
